The present invention relates to a novel isocyanate compound and materials made using the compound.
Isocyanates are organic compounds having the structure N.dbd.C.dbd.O, as opposed to the cyanate structure CNO. Aryl isocyanates, Ar--N.dbd.C.dbd.O, can be made by the reaction of phosgene on aryl amines, for example: ##STR1##
Isocyanates react with alcohols to give carbamates (urethanes) and with primary and secondary amines to give substituted ureas. For example: ##STR2##
Numerous diisocyanates have been disclosed for producing polyurethanes. For example, the following diisocyanates are disclosed for such purposes in "High Polymers -- Polyurethanes -- Chemistry and Technology," Vol. XVI, Part I (Chemistry), Saunders and Frisch, Interscience Publishers, 1962: tolylene diisocyanate (TDI); 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI); 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI); 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate (NDI); 3,3'-dimethoxy-4,4'-biphenyl diisocyanate (DADI); 3,3'-dimethyl-4,4'-biphenyl diisocyanate (TODI); phenylene diisocyanate (PDI); and 4,4'-biphenyl diisocyanate (XDI).
The term "polyurethane" is used herein to mean those polymers which contain a significant number of urethane groups. Usually polyurethanes are obtained by the combination of a polyisocyanate with reactants which have at least some hydroxyl groups, for example, polyether polyols, castor oil and simple glycols. Other reactive groups may also be present, such as amino and carboxyl groups. Thus, a typical 37 polyurethane" can contain, in addition to urethane groups, aliphatic and/or aromatic ester, ether, amide and urea groups. These polymers are also sometimes called simple "urethanes".
Urethanes or polyurethanes can be considered to have the group which is an ester of the unstable carbamic acid, or amide esters of carbonic acid: ##STR3## and the urethane group has the characteristic configuration: ##STR4## Thus a polyurethane has a significant number of these urethane groups, although not necessarily repeating in a regular order.
Formulations and conditions for preparation of polyurethanes are known in the art. See, for example, Part I of Saunders et al, cited above. Further formulations and uses for various polyurethane materials are given in Saunders et al, Part II of the above Vol. XVI (Technology).
Para-isocyanatobenzylisocyanate (PIBI) is disclosed in Liebigs "Annalen der Chemic," Vol. 562, p. 126. Metaisocyanatobenzylisocyanate (MIBI), however, has not been disclosed in the art.